


A Multitude Of Conversations

by afteriwake



Series: And Now I'm Learning You [6]
Category: Doctor Who, Sherlock (TV), Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-13 19:16:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2162025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It appears as though Khan is going to have a day full of discussions about his life and multiple aspects of it whether he likes it or not. But at least one of those conversations has a pleasant revelation he didn't see coming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Multitude Of Conversations

**Author's Note:**

> And I'm back! I got really writer's blocked while I was gone for everything but this series. I have three other stories tonight and procided I finish the tenth one soon I'll have two more by week's end. Hopefully you guys enjoy them!

It was four days after Christmas, and today Molly was out with Amy and Uhura, spending some time on a girl's day out, as she had said. That left the four men alone for the day, and Amy had suggested they get to know each other. All of them had attempted to beg off, saying there was no need, and then Amy had suggested it again more forcefully. Khan had been quite ready to insist that he didn't really need to get to know any of the three other men any better than he already did, but Molly had asked him to and he'd grudgingly acquiesced. They had spent time at Rory's home, having a rather stilted conversation, and around three Rory suggested they all go to a pub for a pint.

Rory and McCoy each had a pint in front of them, and Kirk had whiskey. Khan didn't have anything to drink because he didn't have a taste for alcohol and he didn't want anything else at the moment. They were at a table and a sporting event of some sort was on the telly near them. Every time someone scored a point the other men in the pub would cheer, and Khan found it was getting on his nerves.

“I don't get soccer,” McCoy said after the third time the men cheered. “I mean, it's a bunch of guys chasing a ball around a field.”

“Americans do the same with their version of football,” Rory pointed out. “They just run with the ball instead of kicking it.”

“Not a really big football fan, either,” McCoy said before taking a sip of his pint. “Jim here is, though. Or at least playing it.”

“Just because I did it for a month in high school doesn't mean I like doing it now. And I was more into basketball anyway,” he replied. “But I'll admit, I find soccer interesting. I don't get the teams you have here, but the sport itself isn't so bad.”

“Whatever you do, don't become an Arsenal fan,” Rory said with a grin. “Amy will kick your arse for that. She doesn't really have a favorite team but for some reason that she won't explain to me she loathes that one particular team.”

“I'll remember that,” Kirk said with a nod. He picked up his glass and had a sip as he looked around. “I may have to come back here the next time I want a drink. This reminds me of the bar I used to frequent in San Francisco.”

“Aside from the fact they had different sports on yeah, I can see it,” McCoy said with a nod. “Your bar was some weird hybrid of a sports bar and a dive bar.”

“Closer to a dive bar,” Kirk replied. He risked a glance at Khan. “You seem to be bored.”

“That's because I am,” he said with a sigh. “I'm not very sociable on my best days, and I don't feel exceptionally chatty today. I'm only doing this because Molly asked me to.”

“You know, I don't get the type of relationship the two of you have,” Kirk replied. Khan glared at him. “Look, I don't want to start a fight, honest. I just...I don't see how someone like _her_ could be attracted to someone like _you_. You two seem like polar opposites.”

“We have some similarities,” Khan said after a moment. “What it boils down to is that I enjoy her company, I trust her implicitly, and I...care about her.” Rory raised his eyebrow at that and this time Khan glared at him. “Why are you giving me that look, Rory?”

“You do more than care about her,” he replied. “I mean, you do care, but it's more than that. You just don't see it.”

“Yeah, I got that feeling myself,” McCoy replied.

“I would rather my relationship with Molly not become the main topic of discussion,” he said sullenly. “Our relationship and whatever it entails is our business, not any of yours.”

“You're in love with her,” Kirk replied matter-of-factly.

Khan gave him a disgusted look. “I am not. I highly doubt I'm even capable of feeling that depth of emotion for anyone, even her.”

“Doesn't change the fact that you are,” Kirk said with a shrug.

Khan was about to reply when he looked up. He studied the man that had just entered, then watched him go to the bar. When he was sure the man's back was turned he stood up. “I need to leave. Now.”

“I didn't mean to push,” Kirk replied.

“I don't care about that at the moment. If I don't leave there is the chance there is going to be a very unpleasant conversation happening shortly.” He picked up his coat from the back of his chair. “If you'll excuse me.”

Rory glanced at the bar and his eyes widened as he saw the same person Khan had. He knew Rory knew about John Watson; he'd met him a few times at St. Bart's, and Molly had spoken about him to both Amy and Rory before. Rory had been at the hospital the day Sherlock had faked his death, and he had seen firsthand how distraught John had been. If anyone else in the pub knew how messy this could get it was Rory. “All right,” he said with a nod as Khan put on his scarf.

As soon as he was ready he began to make his way to the exit without being spotted. He was almost out when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He froze, then sighed. “I am not Sherlock Holmes,” he said quietly, turning to face the man behind him.

John's eyes were wide as he looked at him. “But you look...and you sound...” he began.

Khan looked behind him and saw Rory was watching the two of them, a concerned look on his face. Finally he turned back to John. “Sherlock was my twin brother,” he replied simply.

“He never mentioned a brother other than Mycroft,” John replied.

“I'm the black sheep of the family,” Khan replied. “My family prefers to pretend I don't exist. Or they did, until Sherlock committed suicide and I came back home.”

“But why wouldn't he talk about you?” John asked.

“I suppose he was like the rest of my family,” he replied with a shrug. “He wanted no reminders of me in his life. Most likely he didn't talk about me because every time he looked in the mirror he was reminded that he was not the only one with that face.”

“What's your name?” John asked.

“Carlton Holmes is my birth name, but I go by John Harrison now. Just as my family chose to pretend I didn't exist I decided I didn't want to be reminded of them.” This was the first time he'd been confronted by someone who actually knew Sherlock and didn't just know of Sherlock, and the lies came out easily. It was quite frightening how easily he was able to lie to this man, how convincingly he was able to do it. It just proved that deep down he wasn't a very nice man. “If you'll excuse me, I need to be off.”

“You were trying to avoid me,” John said shrewdly, narrowing his eyes.

Khan nodded slowly. “Yes. My older brother told me about your friendship with Sherlock. I wanted to spare you pain, I suppose.”

“Mycroft doesn't need to protect me,” John replied, rolling his eyes. “It's not as though I become a gibbering mess at the mention of Sherlock's name these days. It was hard the first month or so, but it's gotten easier.”

“I'm glad for that,” Khan replied with a nod. He wasn't, not really, but he knew Molly would be happy to know that bit of information. She had talked about how hard it was to be around John now, about how hard it was to keep Sherlock's secret when she was around him, so she had distanced herself. The last time he and Molly had spoken about it she'd said it had been three months since she'd last spoken to John.

“You should have a pint with me,” he replied.

“I don't drink,” he replied. John raised an eyebrow, and Khan nodded to the table where Rory, McCoy and Kirk sat. “My friends do, however.”

“Ah,” John said as he turned to look. After a moment he turned back to Khan. “That's Rory Williams over there, isn't it?” he asked.

Khan nodded. “Yes. I know him and his wife. They're friends with my--” He stopped himself. “With an acquaintance of mine.” He knew Molly would not be pleased to know he'd referred to her as his acquaintance, but he wasn't sure John needed to know exactly what type of relationship he had with Molly. For all he knew he would attempt to talk her out of it, and Molly didn't need to be put in that position.

“A friend of mine is friends with him. Well, she's not much of a friend anymore. I can understand why. She took your brother's death just as hard as everyone else did, and I assume she wanted to distance herself from all of us. Do you know a Molly Hooper?”

“I know her, yes,” he replied. “We are...close.”

“I can just imagine, considering you look and sound just like your twin.”

Khan knew he probably hadn't mean it as an insult, but that was how it came off. He felt himself get irritated as he straightened up. “Molly doesn't see me as a replacement or a substitute for Sherlock. She realizes I am my own man and she also knows that other than the fact I look and sound identical to him there are many differences between us.”

John blinked. “Sorry, mate. I didn't mean it as an insult.”

“Well, it came across as one,” Khan said. “She is a good woman and she doesn't deserve to be treated as someone who would form an attachment to someone who resembled a dead man she used to fancy solely because of the resemblance. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to leave.” He turned at that point and made his way to the door, thankful that John didn't attempt to follow him. He made his way outside and pulled his coat around him against the cold as he began to walk. He had no real destination in mind. He simply wanted peace and quiet to think. Between the statement Kirk made and the encounter with John he had a lot on his mind.

It was maybe five hours later he finally returned home. Really, Molly's flat was home now, he'd realized some time ago. Part of him was honestly surprised by this, and a bit worried as well, because the more he grew attached to her the more it would hurt if it ended, but he felt comfortable there. He felt at ease there, and that was in no small part due to Molly. He pulled out his keys and let himself in. He could smell something very good in the kitchen and hear the radio on in the background. There was some pop song on, something he knew Molly enjoyed that he usually tuned out. He moved into the kitchen and saw her leaning against the counter, chewing her bottom lip. She didn't notice he'd come in, he realized after a moment. “I'm home,” he said quietly as he moved into the kitchen more.

She started slightly, then looked over at him. “I'm sorry. I was lost in thought. I got a phone call today.”

“From John Watson?” he asked. She nodded, and with that he sighed. “I tried to leave the pub without interacting with him. I should have known I wouldn't be successful.”

“He kept dancing around the question he had, and finally I just told him to ask me what he wanted to know. He asked if we were dating. I told him we were living together. I think I might have shocked him with that bit of news.” She picked up the glass she had next to her and he saw it was a nearly empty wineglass. She drank the last of the wine. “He said he thought you were a prat and I could do better. I told him he had no say in who I associated with or who I chose to have a romantic relationship with. He had some choice words about that and after a particularly nasty jab I hung up on him.”

“I'm sorry,” he replied quietly.

She shrugged slightly and then reached over for the wine bottle. She poured out the last of the wine and he saw there wasn't much in the glass. He surmised she'd drunk the rest of the bottle already because that didn't look like the bottle she'd had open earlier in the week. He briefly wondered if she'd drank the last of that bottle too. “It's better off if we're not friends. Then I don't need to worry about Sherlock's secret coming out when I'm around him.”

“Still. I didn't mean to make you choose between him and I,” he said as he moved closer to her.

“Well, he forced the issue. I chose you because I'm in love with you and if he doesn't think that's the right decision on my part then I'm glad we're not friends anymore.”

He stopped moving and stood completely still, looking at her. “What?”

She looked confused for a minute, and then a look of horror crossed her face. “Oh my God, I said that out loud.”

“Is it true, though?” he asked.

She looked at him with wide eyes and then nodded slowly. “I didn't want it to come out that way. I wasn't planning on telling you, to be honest, because I don't know if you'll ever feel the same way and then it would be there hanging in the air and it would be a thing.” Then she sighed and hung her head. “I really shouldn't have had that third glass of wine.”

He moved closer to her, moving slowly. She loved him. Despite knowing every detail of his past, knowing every horrific thing he had done, knowing exactly what he was capable of she loved him regardless. He moved in front of her and used his knuckle to tilt her head up so she was looking at him. She looked as though she was expecting to have him rebuke her for saying it, as though she was expecting him to turn around and leave her home and end the relationship they had. And that was the absolute last thing he wanted to do. “Kirk had an opinion on our relationship earlier today. And I think Rory and McCoy would agree with him.”

“And what opinion was that?” she asked quietly.

“That I am apparently in love with you.”

“Are you?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“I don't know. Perhaps. I never expected to be capable of being in any relationship like ours. I had never wanted to be.” He looked at her intently. “I do know I care about you quite a bit. I've already told you I will choose you over returning home. And you are more important to me than you realize.”

She hesitantly placed her hands on his chest. “So you're okay with me being in love with you?”

“I'm surprised, because you're the only one here who knows the entire truth about me, aside from Mycroft. The good and the bad. The fact that you love me regardless makes me feel quite pleased, and very lucky.”

Slowly a smile spread across her face. “Well, I do love you. And I'll tell you as often as you want to hear it.”

He found himself returning her grin, even if his own wasn't quite as wide. “When I do sort out exactly how I feel about you, if I do come to the same realization that you have come to, I will make sure you're the first to know.”

“Good,” she said with a nod. She slid her hands up until she could put her arms around his neck and she pressed herself close to him. He settled his hands on her waist for a moment before sliding them around to the small of her back. “Supper is finished, so if you want to kiss me for a while I don't need to worry about burning anything.”

“I would like to do much more than simply kiss you,” he murmured. “But we can start with that.”

“Okay,” she said before leaning in and pressing her lips to his. He kissed her back as he kept her close, knowing that while things were going to change once again this was not a bad turn of events. He just hoped he could show her exactly how much her admission had pleased him. He would try his absolute best, at any rate, and he hoped that was enough.


End file.
